I may travel like a commoner, but I am not an amusement or theme park person. Just ask Punky. She’ll probably roll her eyes. So, when we planned a two-day itinerary at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., as part of our weeklong family fun road trip last summer, I kind of felt like I was “taking one (or two) for the team.”
But I have a confession to make. Dollywood was every bit as cheesy, camp, and crowded as I anticipated. And I really liked it.
Probably
more than the Kiddo did.
When my work took me to the quiet and cozy community of West Bend in southeastern Wisconsin, I quickly discovered the best downtown pub and grub for comforting food and drink. Then, I found the best place for a funky, far out far-Eastern food experience. But if you really want to know where the finest dining and drinking experience in West Bend is, I’d have to tell you to go to the Norbert.
I may just be a commoner, but I’ve traveled enough of the country and set foot in enough watering holes to know not all dive bars are created equal. Further, what makes a good dive bar in one part of the country doesn’t necessarily work everywhere. That’s especially true in Wisconsin which seems to me to have a bar culture uniquely its own.
After looking back over several stops from numerous trips to Madison, Sheboygan and places in between, here are a few signs I’ve spotted to know I’ve stumbled into a really good Wisconsin dive bar.
 |
| The Brazen Head Pub in West Bend proudly serves Pabst Blue Ribbon on draft. |
 |
| Top-quality ramen at Tochi in West Bend, Wis. |
Picture yourself cruising through the rolling hills and farmland of southern North Dakota early on a late summer morning. The sun is stil...
